1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to electrode pads, and more particularly to a cartridge for storing one or more electrode pads of a medical device such as an automatic or semi-automatic external defibrillator (AED). In one embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the cartridge is rigid so that the cartridge protects the one or more electrode pads from damage caused, e.g., by jostling and crushing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
AEDs have saved many lives in non-hospital settings and, as a result of advances in AED technology, the number of lives saved per year is rising. Typically, an AED analyzes a patient""s heart rhythm and instructs an operator to administer an electrical shock to the patient if appropriate. For example, a shock can often revive a patient who is experiencing ventricular fibrillation (VF). Because older models of defibrillators include only basic diagnostic and safety features, they are often difficult to operate. Therefore, only specially trained persons such as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) can use these older models to administer shocks to patients. Newer models, however, often include advanced diagnostic and safety features that allow minimally trained persons to administer shocks to patients. Consequently, more people are using AEDs to save lives.
Minimizing time to AED deployment is critical. Once a person goes into sudden cardiac arrest, every minute counts. An AED operator should be able to set up and use an AED to shock a patient within seconds after the operator arrives at the scene. Statistically, for each minute that a person is in cardiac arrest, his/her chance of survival decreases by 10%. And in most cases, there is no chance for resuscitation after 10 minutes. And, even in the best of circumstances, it can take a few minutes to retrieve the AED and a few additional minutes for the AED to diagnose and shock the patient. Therefore, even if the patient is discovered immediately, the operator often has little time to attach the defibrillator electrode pads to the patient, connect the pads to the AED, and activate the AED without further decreasing the patient""s chance of survival. Clearly, the faster the operator can set up and activate the AED, the better the chances that the patient will survive.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional AED system 10, which includes an AED 12 for generating a shock and which includes defibrillator electrode pads 14a and 14b for providing the shock to a patient (not shown in FIG. 1). A connector 16 couples the electrode pads 14a and 14b to a receptacle 18 of the AED 12. Typically, the electrode pads 14a and 14b are sealed within a flexible, i.e., soft, package (not shown in FIG. 1) that an operator (hands shown in FIG. 1) tears or peels open to access the electrode pads. The package acts as a moisture barrier that prevents the electrode-pad contact gel (not shown) from drying out during storage of the electrode pads 14a and 14b. Because it is not affected by moisture loss, the connector 16 need not bexe2x80x94but can bexe2x80x94sealed within the package.
The AED 12 may include a battery 20 for supplying power, a main on/off key switch 22, a display 24 for displaying operator instructions, cardiac waveforms, or other information, a speaker 26 for providing audible operator instructions, an AED status indicator 28, and a shock button 30, which the operator presses to deliver a shock to the patient. The AED 12 may also include a microphone 32 for recording the operator""s voice and other audible sounds that occur during the rescue, and a data card 34 for storing these sounds along with the patient""s ECG and a record of AED events for later study.
Still referring to FIG. 1, during an emergency where it is determined that the patient may need a shock, the operator retrieves the AED 12 and installs the battery 20 if it is not already installed. Next, the operator removes the electrode pads 14a and 14b from the protective package and inserts the connector 16 into the receptacle 18. Then, the operator turns the on/off switch 22 to the xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d position to activate the AED 12. Following the instructions displayed on the display 24 or xe2x80x9cspokenxe2x80x9d via the speaker 26, the operator places the electrode pads 14a and 14b on the patient in the respective positions shown in the pictures on the electrode pads and on the AED 12. After the operator places the electrode pads 14a and 14b on the patient, the AED 12 analyzes the patient""s ECG to determine whether the patient is suffering from a shockable heart rhythm. If the AED 12 determines that the patient is suffering from a shockable heart rhythm, then it instructs the operator to depress the shock button 30 to deliver a shock to the patient. Conversely, if the AED 12 determines that the patient is not suffering from a shockable heart rhythm, it informs the operator to seek appropriate non-shock treatment for the patient. Furthermore, if the AED 12 determines that the patient is not suffering from a shockable heart rhythm, then it often disables the shock button 30 such that even if the operator presses the button 30, the AED 12 does not shock the patient.
Unfortunately, the soft package that contains the electrode pads 14a and 14b may delay the operator in setting up and activating the AED 12. Although the package protects the electrode pads 14a and 14b from moisture loss, it may fail to protect the electrode pads from shipping or handling damage caused by dropping, jostling, or crushing. Therefore, after the operator connects the electrode pads 14a and 14b to the AED 12xe2x80x94this step is unnecessary if the pads are preconnectedxe2x80x94and opens the electrode-pad package, he/she may discover that the electrode pads are too damaged for use. Unfortunately, this damage to the electrode pads may delay the setting up and activation of the AED 12 because now the operator must disconnect and discard the damaged electrode pads, and retrieve, connect, and unpackage a new set of electrode pads.
Consequently, there is a need for a package that protects an electrode pad or electrode pads such as AED electrode pads from shipping and handling damage as well as from moisture loss. There is also a need for a system that eliminates the step of connecting an electrode pad or electrode pads such as AED electrode pads to a medical device such as an AED during an emergency.
A cartridge is provided for storing one or more electrode pads such as a defibrillator electrode pad. The cartridge includes a housing having a rigid portion, a storage space disposed within the housing, and a storage-space opening that allows one to remove/insert the electrode pad or electrode pads from/into the storage space.
Because it has a housing with a rigid portion, such a cartridge can better protect one or more electrode pads from shipping and handling damage. Furthermore, one can construct the cartridge such that it is attachable to a medical device such as an AED. This allows an operator to carry or store the medical device, cartridge, and one or more electrode pads as a single unit. In addition, one can construct the cartridge such that the one or more electrode pads can be pre-connected to the medical device. This can eliminate connecting the one or more electrode pads to the medical device during an emergency or when the medical-device operator is otherwise in a hurry. Furthermore, with pre-connected electrodes, the device can perform tests on the electrodes to ensure they are viable.